Rolling-mill.



B. H. STEVENS.

ROLLING MILL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1009. 993,730. Patented May 30, 1911.

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ROLLING MILL. I

APPLICATION FILED JUNE-8, 1909.

993,730. 1 I 111611161 May 30, 11111.

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WITNESSES INVENTOR R. H. STEVENS.

ROLLING MILL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1909.

Patented May 30, 1911.

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WITNESSES R. H. STEVENS.

ROLLING MILL.-

APPI IGATION FILED JUNE8, 1909.

Patented May 30, 1911.

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RICHARD H. STEVENS, or MI'INHALL, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROLLING-MILL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 8, 1909. Serial No. 500,926.

i To all 'who'm it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD H. STEVENS, of Munhall, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rolling-Mills, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompany I ing drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional side elevation of a rolling mill constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a sec- .tional end elevation of the same on the line IIII of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of the apparatus on the line III-III of Fig. 2, showing the roll changing cradle and cradle slides or ways forming part of the invention; Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation of the cradle slides on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a detail sectional elevation on a larger scale, showing the con struction of the chuck and rider and the bottom-bearing for the top roll supports, also formin part of the invention; Fig. 6 is a detail p an of the bottom-bearing for the top roll; Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail of the connecting bars by which the top and bottom roll bearings are supported on the counterbalancing mechanism in accordance with my invention; Fig. 8 is. a detail end elevation of the cradle and bottom bearings for the bottom roll as constructed and arranged in 4 accordance with the invention.

Myinvention relates to the construction of rolling mills, and more particularly relates to the construction and arrangement of plate-mills and millsihaving a counterbalanced top roll.

Heretofore insuch mills it has been necessary to remove the top roll, and in three-high plate mills, both thetop and middle rolls, before the bottom roll could be removed from its place in the roll housings. In such roll changing operations, it has been necessary to first suspend the "counterweights so as toprevent their acting as counterbalances for the top roll. The steel-yard rodswere disconnected and the top roll was then removed from the housings in order to permit of the removal of .the bottom roll.

r The objectof my invention is to provide a mill having improved means for changing the rolls and for supporting and counterbalancing the top roll and top roll bearings,

while the bottom roll is being removed from antlll is being replaced-in the housings of the m1 Another object of the invention is tolprovide improved means for counterbalancing the top roll by the use of which the necessity of disconnecting the steel-yard rods and removing the riders for the top roll is obviated and the time necessary to change the rolls is reduced.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for supporting and for securing the bottom roll in place, and for handling the, rolls in removing and replacing them in the windows of the housings.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a mill having means arranged to permit of the removal 'of the bottom roll while the other roll or rolls remain in place in the housings, or of the-simultaneous removal of all of the rolls from the windows of the housings.

In the drawings, 2--represents the top and 3 the bottom roll of a two-high rolling mill. The bottom roll 3 is supported in bottom bearings 4 which are connected together-by ribs 5, preferably formed integral therewith as shown. The ribs 5 form slides which run in the ways formed in the top edges of the spreaders or separators 6 by which the bottoms of the housings 7 and 8 are connected and held together. The taped the housings are also. tied together and maintained in the right position relative to each other on the housing shoes 10, by means of separators or spreaders 9.

The top roll 2 is supported in bottorr bearings 11, which are supported on and detachably connected to the hook bolts 13 of the balancing mechanism by means of the keys 15. The upper ends of the hook bolts 13 are also provided with-slots, which register with similar slots in'the top riders 12 and taper'keys .14 are inserted in these slots when it is desired to transfer the action of the counterbalancing mechanism to the top riders and supportthese riders upon the balancing mechanism. The lower ends of the bolts 13 have a projectin lug 16 on one side, the bottom surface of't cse lugs having a recess therein which is preferably spherical, the top ends of the steel-yard rods 17 of the Patented May 30, 1911.

the beams 18 which are mounted on the pivot bearings 19 and are provided on their u opposite end with counterweights 20, theconstruction of the pivoted beams and counterweights being of the type usually employed in such mills.

The riders 12 for the top roll are provided with adjustable, removable chucks 21 and with a breaker-block 22 positioned on top of each rider 12, and which is in engagement with the'lowerend of the housing screws 23.

The cradle formed of the spreaders 6 and the bottom bearings at for the bottom roll 3,

is placed in the bottom of the windows of the housings 7 and 8, and is held in position in the windows of the housings, when the mill is in operation, by means of the bolts 24. Each bearing 4 is provided with an adjustable roll chuck 3 engaging with the roll necks. The bolts 24 are provided on their inner ends with a gib key 25, a taper key 26 being provided on the outer ends of the bolts to tighten and hold the bottom bearings or cradle in position in the housings. 'The cradle 4 is connected by means of the piston rod 27 to the hydraulic cylinder 28, which forms a permanent part of the equipment of the mill and which is located to one side of the housings and cradle slides or ways. On one side and at the lower end of the roll housing 8 are the ways 29 which are mounted upon the beam supports 30. The ways 29 form an extension, on the outside of the housing 8, to the ways formed in the top edges of the Spreaders 6 which are located between the lower ends of the housings, these extensions being employed for a purpose described hereinafter.

In the o eration of changing the bottom roll in my improved mill, the, housing screws 23 are rotated b the roll adjusting motor to allow the top r0 1 2 to be lifted so as to clear the bottom roll. The top roll being counterbalanced, the counterweights will exert forceenough to lift the top roll in the housings. The keys 26 are then removed from the bolts 24 in the cradle bearing 4 and the cylinder 28 is actuated so as to slide the cradle, I together withthe bottom roll, through the window of the housing 8 until it rests upon the slide extensions 29 on the outside of the housing 8. The roll 3 is then removed from the cradle by means of a crane or other suitable lifting device, and, in case it is not desired to remove the, top roll 2, a new bottom roll is placed in the bottom roll bearings which are on, or form part of the cradle 4, The cradle is then moved forwardly on the slides or ways until in the position in the housings of the mill shown in the drawings. The keys 26 are then replaced when the bottom roll is again in readiness 'for the operation of the mill.

When it, is desired tochange boththe top and bottom rolls, the bottom roll 3 is removed as has heretofore been described, being lifted from the cradle after the cradle has been shifted from between the housings into position on the ways 29. The empty cradle is then returned into position between the housings, and the housing screws 23 are actuated to lower the top roll in the housings until it rests in or approximately in the cradle.

When the stroke of the screws 23 is not sufficient to lower the top roll until it rests in the cradle, or when both rolls are to be removed simultaneously, suitable blocking is placed on top of the cradle on'which the top roll is then placed.' When the weight of the top roll and its bottom bearings is transferred to the cradle or the blocking on the cradle, the keys 14, which ordinarily are removed when the mill is in operation, are

placed in the slots in the upper ends of the bolts 13 of the balancing mechanism and the riders 12, and the keys 15 are then removed from the bolts 13'so as to disconnect the bottom bearings from the balancing mechanism. The housing screws 23are then rotated to permit-the counterweight 10 to lift thev top rider 12, the chucks 21 and bolts 13 until clear of the bearings 11 and roll 2. The construction, as illustrated in Fig. 6 shows that the ends of the bearings 11 are slotted and the squared portions of the bolts 13 which are seated in these slots, are moved upwardly when the housing screws 23 are retracted. The top roll, which is now supported upon the cradle 4, is then moved from between the housings by shifting the cradle lengthwise by means of the cylinder 28 and after such removal is lifted from the cradle and is replaced by a new top roll. After the new top roll is'placed on the top roll bearings 11 which remain upon the cradle, the

cradle is advanced by means of the cylinder 28 until again in osition between-the housthen turned to move the rider 12 and chuck 21 downwardly into engagement with the necks of the top roll. The keys 15 are then again placed in position in the bottom hearing 11 and bolts 13, and preferably the keys 14 are removed. The housing screws are then retracted when the counterweights 20 will lift the top roll from the cradle and out of'engagement with the cradle or the blocking, when blockin is used. When the rolls are removed sing y the cradle'is then removed from between the housings and a bottom'roll 3 is placed in position in the bottom roll bearing mounted onor forming part of the cradle. The cradle, together with the bottom roll is then moved forwardly by means of the cylinder 28 until again in position as shown in Fig. 3. The bolts 24 are inserted in place and the keys 26 are tightened in the slots of the bolts when the mill is again in readiness to be operated.

The advantages of my invention are many and will 'be appreciated by those skilled in the art. The improved construction of the top roll bearing and rider enables the rolls to be changed without dismantling the roll balancing rig. The means employed for connecting the top roll rider and" the bolts 13 of the balancing mechanism enables the top roll to be easily and quickly disconnected and connected. The use of a cradle and the provision of the ways or slides on which the cradle is movably mounted enables the rolls to be readily removed from between the housings. The employment of the cylinder for moving the cradle as apermanent part of the mill equipment facilitates the roll changing operation. 1

Modifications in the construction and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from my invention as defined balanced to in the appended claims.

I claim 1. A rolling mill, comprising a counterbalanced roll having top and bottom bearings, balancing mechanism for said roll and bearings, and means for connecting the bearings to the roll balancing mechanism, said meansbeing adapted to connect one without the other of said top and bottom bearings to the balancing mechanism; substan tially as described.

2. A rolling mill comprising a counterroll having top and bottom bearings, ba ancing mechanism for said roll and bearings, and detachable connections between the bearings and roll balancing mechanism adapted to su port said top bearings in the housings w en said roll is being removed and replaced; substantially as described.

means for securing said ugper bearing to the balancing mechanism an means for detachably securing said bottom bearing to the balancing mechanism; substantially as described.

4. In-a rolling mill having a counterbalanced to roll, a roll bearing comprising a top member, a bottom member, and means for securing said members to the roll-balancin mechanism said means being arrange l to connect either of said members while the other is disconnected; substantially as described.

5. In a rolling mill, a top roll, a bearing for said roll comprisin a top member and a bottom member, a r01 balancing mechanism cooperating with the top roll member so as to support the same independently of the bottom member, and a detachable connection between the bottom member and the balancing mechanism to support said member when the roll is in position; substantially as described.

6. A rolling mill comprising a top roll, top and bottom bearings for said roll, means for counter-balancing the roll cooperating with the top bearing adapted to support the same independently of the bottom hearing and detachable connections between the bottom bearing and the counter-balancing means adapted to support said bottom hearing when the roll is in position; substantially as described.

7. In a rolling mill, roll housings having windows, a top roll supported in hearings in the windows of said housings, a bottom roll having bearings independent of said top roll bearings and carried by said bousarranged to support the bottom roll, said cradle being adapted to move said bottom roll endwise through the housing windows and to receive and move said top roll endwise into and out of position in the housings after the removal of the bottom roll; substantially as described.

8. In a rolling mill, roll housings, a plurality of rolls, each having separate bearings independently mounted in said housings, and a cradle arranged to support the bottom roll and bearings, said cradle being adapted to separately remove each roll into and out of position in the housings, said bottom roll being the first removed and last replaced in position in the housings; substantially as described.

9. In a'rolling mill having roll housings and having rolls in said housings, roll in s and a cradle changing mechanism comprising, a cradle forming bearings for the bottom roll in the Windows of said housings when the mill is in operation, said cradle being movable endwise through a window of said housings in changing the top roll after the removal of the bottom roll, ways on which the cradle slides in moving endwisc, and means for moving said cradle on said ways between the housings after the bottom roll is removed; substantially as described.

10. In a rolling mill having roll housings, a cradle forming bottom roll hearings in the windows of said housings when the mill is in operation, said cradle being movable endwise through a window .of said housings, ways on which the cradle slides balanced top roll, a roll bearing comprising I to the counterbalancing' mechanism indea top member, abottom member, and means for detachably connecting each of said members to the counterbalancing mechanism 5 when the other is disconnected; substantially as described.

12. In a rolling mill having a counterbalanced top roll, a roll bearing comprising a top member, a bottom member, and means 10 for detachably connecting said top member pendently of said bottom member; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof; I have hereunto set my hand. v

RICHARD H. STEVENS.

Witnesses: i

J. A. HAMILTON, W. H. CORBETr. 

